The Second Chance of Midoriko
by karen12
Summary: COMPLETE! Inu Yasha must supersede conditions imposed on him by Midoriko in order to bring Kagome back to Feudal Japan! IYK
1. Devastation

[Author's Note] Hey everyone! This is my second attempt at an Inu Yasha Fanfic, so… I hope you like it! I accept reviews from everyone, so I hope to hear from you all! Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha.

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The Second Chance of Midoriko

Chapter 1: Devastation

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It was supposed to be their last battle. They had already defeated Naraku, and had all but a few shards of the Shikon no Tama. Miroku was getting along just fine with his new kazaana-free right hand, and Sango was just coming along for the ride. After all, the gang was pretty much the only family she had left. Shippou was too young to _really_ worry about what was going to happen when all the shards were gathered, but Kagome was beginning to get nervous about what should be done with the jewel. Inu Yasha hadn't been talking about becoming full demon that much anymore, which made her wonder _what_ exactly he really wanted to do with it. He hadn't forgotten about it, of course, because he was still continually pestering her to find more shards- but each time they found another shard, he seemed… preoccupied. As if he was _worried_ that they would find all the shards in no time at all. 

And here they were, fighting their last demon. It appeared to be a monster made of stone; a golem, with hard spikes on the top of its head and on its back. It had a tail similar to that of a stegosaurus, with spikes at the end, only in mace-like fashion. Hard to believe, but they were actually having a more difficult time with this demon than they did with Naraku himself. None of Kagome's arrows were able to pierce his outer armor of stone, and Inu Yasha's Tetsusaiga couldn't scratch the surface of the demon. Sango and Shippou tried various Hiraikotsu and kitsune attacks, but nothing seemed to be working. Miroku was busy chanting an incantation over the golem, attempting to weaken its stone armor.

"Kagome!! Shoot it!!" Inu Yasha cried to his teammate. Kagome drew yet another arrow.

'_Where is its weak spot?? Where is it???'_ Kagome asked herself. 

"DO IT!!!" He cried, trying to hold it off for Kagome to get a clear shot.

"Here goes!" she said firmly to herself, hoping against hope that it would hit. With the demon possessing the remaining three Shikon shards, it was virtually impenetrable. But she took a shot at the neck, just where the shoulder of the monster met its unsightly head. The arrow whizzed through the air. Her shot was straight and true, and the arrow burrowed itself halfway into the golem's neck. "Gotcha!" she squealed with delight as she watched the arrow glow pink and seep magic throughout the demon. "You go, girl!" Inu Yasha jumped to the left, off of his position on the golem's back, and watched Kagome celebrate via victory dance. She was really excited. Inu Yasha's ears began to droop a bit, knowing what this meant. She would be going home. He brushed aside his sadness, however, to watch her jump up and down ecstatically. He began to smile. She was always so carefree. Maybe after the jewel was completed, he would tell her… what he had been wanting to tell her for such a long time. 

And she was still celebrating. Kinda overdoing it. In fact, Kagome was so busy celebrating her shot of victory that she didn't see it coming.

The tail.

Although dying, the golem still wasn't completely purified. 

Inu Yasha's ears rotated in the blink of an eye, hearing something raise itself from the ground. He looked to his right, just to see the tail levitate and with a mighty swing, lunge itself at the young miko. Inu Yasha sprang into action.

"Kagome!!" He ran as swiftly as he could toward her, but he was not quick enough to reach her before the tail. There was a sickening thud as the golem's tail embedded itself into Kagome's abdomen. Things seemed to go in slow motion. Miroku and Sango's eyes widened when they saw blood-tipped spikes emerge from Kagome's back. Shippou screamed and ran toward Kagome, but Miroku caught him before he could get too far. Kagome looked down at the tail in disbelief. Wasn't she just celebrating? Inu Yasha could only hear his heartbeat and his breath as he continued to approach his…

Just after the impact, the tail began to glow pink. Finally purified, it evaporated into thin air. It was the only thing keeping Kagome on her feet, so as soon as it was gone, she began to fall to the ground, mouth open and eyes wide. Inu Yasha caught her gently and laid her to rest on the soft grass. Not wasting any time, he removed his haori and placed it under her head. He quickly pressed his hands firmly on her abdomen where she was bleeding the most. 

"I-*cough* Inu Yasha." Kagome could just hear him in her head. _'You stupid girl, why did you go and get hurt! Couldn't you get out of the way? If you weren't so busy celebrating…'_

"Shh…" Inu Yasha's thoughts were as far from that as could be.

"Th- the shards… in its foreh-"

"I don't care," he said roughly. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou stood back, just inside of earshot, and watched silently. "We have to get you to Kaede." Kagome shook her head. 

"It-s too late. Take care of Shippou." Inu Yasha began to shake his head. 

"No, no, Kagome…" 

"And tell Mama I'm sorry. And goodbye to S--" Kagome began to shiver from all of her blood loss. Inu Yasha growled, not knowing what he could do to save her. He felt so helpless. The last time he felt this way was when his mother died. Shivering to the point of convulsing, Kagome held up her hand to Inu Yasha's head. He lowered his head, allowing her to do what she would with it. 

*tweak, tweak*

*giggle*

*cough* *HACK* 

"Thanks. I know you hate it." Kagome lifted her other arm and drew Inu Yasha down to her in one final hug.

"No, Kagome, you can't. You can't leave," Inu Yasha told her in a hoarse whisper. "I-" a tear rolled down his cheek. But he didn't care. This was more important. Kagome was more important. "I love you, Kagome." He felt a final squeeze, almost imperceptible, around his neck before Kagome's arms loosened. As he brought himself up from her body, he ran his hands along her slender arms. One by one, tears fell from his eyes. He now held her hands in his, and rested them on her bloody stomach. "You didn't deserve this. But-" Inu Yasha raised himself from the ground, and walked in a seeming daze toward where the golem's head once was. He found three shards on the ground, and knelt down to pick them up. As he moved to stand, he heard Shippou crying. His crying was getting louder, and as Inu Yasha saw, he was running toward him. At first he thought he was running toward Kagome, but at a second glance, he was headed straight for Inu Yasha. 

"I HATE YOU!" Shippou, little as he was, kicked the hanyou with all of his might. Inu Yasha was surprised; it actually hurt a little. Miroku and Sango ran towards them. "Kagome… Kagome died, and here you are, only caring about the jewel! You couldn't wait until she was dead to get the rest of the fragments!" He screamed through tears. 

"Feh. Whatever," he said somewhat shakily. That was the hardest 'feh' and 'whatever' that he ever had to say. He stood up and faced Miroku and Sango, who had just arrived. They were not so blind. They saw the hanyou's glassy eyes and dampened cheeks, and knew that he was probably the saddest out of all of them. Tears running down her own cheeks, Sango stepped forward and embraced Inu Yasha. Shippou stopped his tirade and watched the adults silently. Inu Yasha's arms wrapped around Sango, and for only the second time in his life, he began to sob. 

After a few minutes, Inu Yasha released Sango, and walked slowly to where Kagome lay. Sango, not completely finished crying, turned toward Miroku. Of course, he knew this was no time to be a hentai, and he too was sad, so he simply wrapped his arms around her, using one hand to rub her back, and the other to hold her steady. Sango momentarily stopped her sobs, and knelt down to look at Shippou. 

"Come here, Shippou. You loved her so much." Shippou began crying anew, and jumped into her arms. Sango stood, and she, Miroku, and Shippou began to console each other on the loss of their loved one. 

Inu Yasha knelt beside Kagome's form. Reaching around her neck, he removed the Shikon no Tama and the chain on which it hung. He carefully slipped the shards he retrieved from the golem into the jewel. A bright, pale pink light exploded from the Shikon no Tama as it refused itself together. The light soon faded, and the jewel was complete.

Inu Yasha Removed his haori from underneath Kagome, and wrapped it around her body. He hoisted her gently over his shoulder, as though she were asleep.

"Let's go back to the village," was all he said before taking off in a blur. It was all he could manage to say. Miroku and Sango, with Shippou in her arms, followed his fleeting form toward the village.

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[Author's Note] Eh? Did you like it so far? Don't worry, I am a rabid IY/K fan. I think this is the darkest chapter in this story, so uh, yeah. See ya soon, and please review! 


	2. Resurrection

[Author's Note] Yay!! Thanks for the reviews!!   
**mvdiva**-hehehe, just you watch!  
**Cat Silver**- whooo! go T.I.R.I.F.Gs!!  
**eikosbutterfly**- dont worry, it gets a lot lighter after the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. 

Chapter 2: Resurrection

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Kaede had just stepped outside for a little breather, when she saw Inu Yasha and a bundle she assumed to be Kagome heading for her house. Her warm smile quickly faded when she saw the blood on Inu Yasha's shirt and the disheveled-ness of his hair. After a closer look, she realized that he was walking slower, almost as though every step was pained. And Kagome wasn't moving. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her to the hanyou and his cargo.

"What happened?" Without speaking, he passed Kaede and entered her hut.

"I… failed." Inu Yasha moved Kagome from kidnap-style to bridal style, and then gently laid her on the floor. He looked down at Kagome's peaceful face. Kaede gasped. She knew that if she wanted to know the particulars of what happened, it would take time for any of the group to be able to speak about it. She was just about to offer words of condolence to the boy, when he began to speak again. "But… I have a plan." 

"Oh?" Kaede was curious. Inu Yasha shook his head, and pulled out Kagome's necklace from inside his shirt. He fingered the pink jewel contemplatively.

"I'll wish on this."

"But, ye do not know how," she said incredulously. She hated to put a damper on things, but this could not be helped. "Not even my sister Kikyou knew how to wish on the jewel. She thought it could be done, but knew not _how_ it could be done. That is why she could only _protect_ it."

"Maybe so, but _I_ know how to wish on it. I just hope that it is strong enough." 

"To resurrect her?" Inu Yasha nodded. 

***

Shippou had finally cried himself to sleep, and Miroku, Sango, Kaede, and Inu Yasha sat around the fire pit, discussing Inu Yasha's idea. 

"How did you discover the secrets to wishing on the Shikon Jewel?" Miroku asked his companion. Kaede and Sango nodded, signaling that they wanted to know as well.

"I checked out the cave where we first found out about Midoriko." 

"When??" Sango asked.

"Tch, when Kagome left." 

"Tell me, Inu Yasha," Miroku began. "Any half demon can simply swallow the jewel to become full demon. Your desire to know how to wish on the Shikon Jewel was unnecessary if you desired only that. So, what compelled you to pursue this information?"

"Don't know," he said coolly, and looked away from the group, nose in the air.

"You decided _not_ to become a full demon when you realized you wouldn't be able to protect Kagome, didn't you?" Miroku speculated. Inu Yasha's head dropped, and his ears flattened against his head. He was silently cursing himself for not protecting Kagome against that stupid golem.

_'And WHY? Because I was watching her celebrate. Stupid, Inu Yasha. Stupid,'_ he mentally scolded himself. "This was supposed to be our last battle," he said. "Our last fight, and then Kagome would probably go home. And you and Sango…" he trailed off, not wanting to continue. They looked at each other, aware of what he was insinuating, but embarrassed nonetheless. '_I'd be alone,' _he thought. 

"Well, let us get some rest, and attempt the jewel purification tomorrow. Inu Yasha, this will give ye some time to review the purification ritual and formulate the proper words for your wish." Inu Yasha nodded at Kaede, rose from his spot on the floor, and stepped outside. 

_'Why wait? I already know how to perform the ritual, and what my wish is,'_ he said to himself. And within moments, Inu Yasha decided to attempt his wish right then and there. Well, maybe not _right_ then and there. He decided to wait until everyone was asleep, and then take Kagome's body to the Goshinboku tree.

***

Well, there he was. It was time. He removed Kagome from his shoulders, and laid her underneath the old tree. Gently, he stroked Kagome's lifeless cheek. In his eyes shone a softness that had never been seen before. Standing up, he unclasped the chain from around his neck, and held it between his fingers in a prayer-like position. 

He began to chant softly:

"Shikon no Tama,

In which Midoriko 

The priestess, 

Who valiantly fights

For all that is good-

Hear me, and my plea.

My wish is pure,

My heart is true.

Grant this desire,

And may the Shikon no Tama

Release you 

From your battle."

Inu Yasha's eyes were closed; he was intent on making this wish come to pass. He did not notice as a whirlwind enveloped him, nor would he have, if he did not hear her voice.

It was Midoriko.

"Gentle Inu Yasha," Inu Yasha's eyes shot open to find himself in the center of swirling clouds. He had but to stretch his arms full length, and he would touch the walls of the whirlwind. But he wasn't focusing on touching the cool clouds. He was trying to find the body belonging to the voice. 

"Inu Yasha," she continued, and Inu Yasha saw her step through the clouds to his left. She smiled, dressed in a soft deep green kimono. "What is your wish? Be it pure, and it shall be granted. But if you are false, woe be to you." Inu Yasha looked into her eyes. She had only kindness for him; he could see that she knew his wish was pure. 

He was sooo glad his mother gave him speech lessons when he was a whelp. Of course, he never used what he learned, but in this case, it was certainly appropriate. He had been thinking of what to say since the moment Kagome was hit by the golem's tail, and he was now ready to say it. He knelt before Midoriko in respect, but spoke eloquently, without faltering. 

"Priestess Midoriko, I request that you restore to life this young miko before you," he gestured toward Kagome, who lay motionless beneath the Goshinboku tree. After Midoriko glanced at Kagome, her eyes returned to Inu Yasha, and he met her gaze. "She deserves not only to live, but to be happy, and safe. My request is that you grant this woman- this woman, who fought so valiantly and lost her life to restore the Shikon no Tama- another chance at life, and at happiness." And now, he began to lose his eloquence. "And she should be protected." 

Midoriko smiled. "It is not beyond the power of the Shikon Jewel to grant this request. It shall be done." Inu Yasha began to smile wearily. His last-ditch effort to save Kagome had succeeded. Of course, he couldn't protect her- that would have to be someone else's job. His failure _is_ why she died, after all. But she'd be alive, and she'd be safe, and she'd be happy. And that was all he wanted. Even if it meant he'd be alone. 

"Did you hear me?" Midoriko asked.

"Huh?" Inu Yasha was embarrassed. He was thinking of how Kagome was going to live again, and totally forgot about the priestess before him.

"There will be but one condition to granting this request."

"What is it?" Inu Yasha was willing to do anything to make sure Kagome would be alright- give his own life, if need be. 

"In order for Kagome to be happy and protected, she must return to her own time. When she does, the jewel will be purified, meaning that she will no longer be able to travel between times. In addition, her adventures here will seem like only a dream, and her family and community will have no recollection of you or her disappearances from school."

_'No problem… I can visit her any time I want,'_ he thought to himself. Midoriko seemed to hear these very thoughts.

"Of course, you can visit her whenever you like, but there is another part of the condition under which this request will be granted. 

_'Come on!'_ "What is it?"

"If you do decide to visit her, you will be placed under physical restrictions."

"Human? No problem." 

"No. Canine." 

"What?"

"Your canine blood is what will trigger this disguise. When you set foot on the ground outside of the well, you will be transformed into what will appear as a canine to Kagome and the rest of the world of her time."

"Come on!" Inu Yasha forgot his previous attitude of 'Anything for Kagome.' Midoriko smiled. If Inu Yasha didn't know any better, he'd say it looked like a pretty sadistic smile to _him_.

"There is one way to break the spell." 

"Yeah? And?"

"You must win Kagome's love."

"As a DOG??" It looked to Inu Yasha like Midoriko was trying to suppress a giggle.

"She must say the very words, 'I love you, Inu Yasha.' in order for the spell to be reversed- you will return to your true form, and her memories as well as the memories of her family and community will return."

"And, is there a time limit to break this spell?" Midoriko shook her head.

"Only the time limit of her heart."

"GAAH! Whatever!" Inu Yasha unconsciously poised himself as if he were entering a battle. "Let's do it." Midoriko nodded her head once, and raised her left arm toward Kagome. Inu Yasha looked at her, until one of the swirling clouds intercepted his gaze. When it passed, she was gone. He looked back toward Midoriko, who remained looking at him. The clouds began to sink toward the ground and disappear. Inu Yasha took one last look at Midoriko, and decided to go back to Kaede's. It was almost morning, and he wanted to tell them what had happened. 

Midoriko watched as the young hanyou ran toward the nearby village. 

"And so it begins, Inu Yasha. Traveling with Kagome in the jewel for so long, I know that the only way she could ever be truly happy is by your side. And you are the best protector she will ever have. Perhaps this adventure will draw both of you closer than you could have ever been." Midoriko smiled complacently in Inu Yasha's direction. "Thank you for freeing me, Inu Yasha. The demons I have fought so hard to overcome have finally been vanquished." And with that, Midoriko looked heavenward, and evaporated into nothing. On the grass where she once stood rested Kagome's chain- naked of the Shikon no Tama. 

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[Author's Note] Yeah? Lighter than the first chapter? Do you like it? Please review!


	3. Hojou and the Hanyou canine

[Author's Note] Hey! Thanks so much for reviewing this story! Sorry I'm a little late in updating, I am on Spring Break and went home to visit.. I saved my story on a disk, but when I tried to find it, I couldn't! Well, as luck would have it, I opened it one more time, and saw the file. So here you go for chapter three! Enjoy!   
oh.. um, I had one of Kagome's friends named as "erika," but I just watched a fansub, and she calls her Erri.. so I've changed this chapter accordingly. If that's wrong, um, please let me know.. Thanks!

*** = "later"

***** = scene change

Chapter 3: Hojou and the Hanyou-canine

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…at Kagome's house…

"Mom!" Kagome yelled down the stairs. "Have you seen my necklace?" Kagome had just received a phone call from Yuka, inviting her to the mall to chill with herself, Erri, and Ayumi.

"Which one, dear?"

"The…. Beaded one…" Kagome realized how stupid that sounded, and gave up trying to find it altogether. "Whatever," she said to herself. She quickly called down the stairs to her mom. "Nevermind!" 

A spray of some body splash, and she was downstairs and out the door.

"Later!" she said over her shoulder, closing the door before anyone could respond. 

"That's my Kagome," her mother said, and returned to fixing up the house. 

*****

At the mall, Kagome just couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something. Like she was forgetting to do something. 

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Erri asked. 

"Huh? Yeah. I don't know what's wrong with me today. I feel kinda… funny." Her friends shrugged it off, and they continued down the walkway, stopping at occasional stores, and gossiping about the boys at school.

"So, I hear Hojou has the hots for you, Kagome," Yuka told her best friend. Kagome blushed.

"No, no way…"

"Yeah, _I_ heard that he wants to ask you to the school dance coming up next month." Ayumi teased her friend, poking her arm. Kagome rolled her eyes. 

"I dunno…" 

"COME ON!" all the girls cried in unison.

"Shhh!! They're staring!" Kagome motioned to the other people in the clothing store. Giggling, the four girls quickly exited the store, so as not to make a bigger scene than there was already. But as soon as they stepped outside, they saw Hojou coming up fast with some of his friends.

"Look, its _him_," one of her friends whispered.

"Let's see if he'll talk to you," another said. Hojou, now within speaking range, waved a friendly hello.

"Hi, ladies."

"Hi, Hojou," Erri, Yuka, and Ayumi answered in unison. Kagome sighed.

"Kagome," Hojou turned specifically toward her. 

"Hn?" Kagome wasn't _pretending_ to be uninterested.. She really WAS uninterested.

"I wanted to know, are you going to the dance with anyone yet?"

"The dance? No, not yet." 

"Great! Well, would you like to go with me, then?"

"Umm," For some reason, Kagome felt like there was someone else in her life that she wanted to be going to things like the school dance with. But who? She snapped back to reality with a shocking jolt to her right arm. Her friends were pulling her aside.

"What's wrong with you? Its HOJOU…" Yuka whispered.

"Yeah, go out with him!" Ayumi chimed in.

"Fine, fine," Kagome agreed.

"Okay," she said, turning toward the most popular boy in school, "I'll go to the dance with you." 

"Great! I'll swing by and pick you up your place at say… eight?" 

"Yeah, sure." Hojou was smiling a little too big, if you asked Kagome. "Well, look Hojou, we have to be going. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," he said. Another happy little wave, and he was off with his friends down the way Kagome and her friends just came. 

*****

"What's WRONG with me?" she asked herself aloud when she got home. "Kagome!!" She may have looked a little weird sitting on her bed, yelling at herself, but she didn't care. Something wasn't right. 

*****

…at Kaede's hut…

"You did WHAT?" Sango was furious. "And without even _telling_ us?!?! How dare you!" Inu Yasha just shrugged. 

"There's just one condition."

***

"AHAAhhh *GASP* Eeeheheee, oohhhheheee," Sango's ferocity turned into sadistic glee when she discovered the conditions under which Kagome was resurrected. "Oh, heheehe, to see.. Hahhaha… to see you as a dog… pr- pfffthehe, priceless!! Hehee…" Her stomach was beginning to hurt by now. This was actually the first coherent sentence she could make after hearing about Inu Yasha's task, and it had actually been about ten minutes since he had told the group. Shippou had been laughing just about as much as Sango. Even Kaede turned her back to Inu Yasha in order to conceal her smile. Miroku was the only one able to actually still look Inu Yasha in the eyes without totally losing control.

"So," Miroku smirked, but held in the laughter. "What are you going to do, Inu Yasha?"

"What do you think, monk? I'm going to go get her, and bring her back here." 

"As a dog? I don't think she would let you in the well-house. In fact, she'd probably be scared you'd break your legs, falling down the well like that." Sango let out another burst of laughs, and slapped Miroku on the knee, rewarding him for his comical visual of Inu Yasha the dog toppling down the well. His shoulders began to move up and down from the force of his suppressed laughter.

"Tch. Whatever. I don't have to deal with this. I'm going to see if I can find Kagome." And with that, he left the hut as the sound of rising laughter came from within. Inu Yasha just shook his head when he heard Kaede finally join in.

He reached the well in no time at all. "Here goes nothin,'" he said, and quickly jumped down the well. It was about four o'clock by the time he had talked to the group and gotten to the well. He reached Kagome's time without incident. "Well, so far, so good." Inu Yasha looked down at his hands and feet. He was still in his hanyou form. "So much for canine troubles," he seemed to smirk at the bottom of the well at Sango and the others. With a single leap, he was at the top of the well. But as he stepped onto the ground outside of the well, he began to feel funny. The transformation was beginning to take place. 

'Ugh.' Inu Yasha cringed as he watched his hands become furry white paws. He craned his neck to look at the rest of his body. It was covered in soft, silvery white hair. 'Well, at least I still have my hair,' he told himself, and began on all fours to head outside. He nudged the door to the well-house. Locked. 'What the-? You've got to be kidding!' Out of frustration, the hanyou- err, hanyou canine- raised himself on his hind legs and pushed at the door with all his might. Surprisingly, the door flew open, just as if Inu Yasha had knocked it open in his half-demon form. 'Not a total loss. I guess I still have some of my demon traits,' he said, and trotted outside into the sunlight. 'First things first.' He trotted toward Kagome's house.

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[Author's Note] How did you all like it? Comments? Suggestions? Please review!! Thanks!! 


	4. Breakthrough

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Yadda yadda..

[Author's Note] Whoopee! Here we go again! 

**mvdiva**- hehe, well, I'm thinking that it might just be _easier_ for Kagome to love him in dog form... hehehe...  
**reynamangga**- I will try to do my best with Hojou.. let's see what I can do.  
**Anime-05**- thanks for reading! I'll try my best to integrate your suggestion!   
Well, please enjoy! 

Chapter 4: Breakthrough

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…at Kagome's house…  


"Hey, Kagome! There's a dog outside!" 

"Good, Souta." Kagome sat on the couch, not really paying much attention to the world around her.

"You've gotta come look! Its really cool! It almost looks like a wolf!" Souta headed toward the front door.

"Don't go out there, Souta. It might be wild," Kagome told her little brother in monotone. She was a little preoccupied with her own thoughts. When she returned from the mall with her friends, she decided to sit down and think about why she was feeling the way she was. Like something wasn't quite right. She wasn't sure just when she dreamt it, but she recalled, in amazing detail, traveling with a small group, and… a certain dog demon. _'Inu Yasha,'_ she thought. _'It wasn't real, but… I… I feel like I really loved you. How can I love someone from my dreams?'_ Kagome was ripped out of her thoughts when she heard the door slam. "SOUTA!" She jumped off the couch and ran outside to follow her brother. "I told you, _don't_…" she trailed off when she saw it.

It was the most beautiful dog she had ever seen. It looked like it was just leaving its puppy stage, young, but full grown. Its legs were still thin, which made its paws look larger, giving it the wolf-like appearance that Souta remarked on. You could tell that although young, this pup was a fighter. You could see the curves of lean muscle underneath its beautiful silvery-white fur. Souta was approaching it, but Kagome was too taken in with its beauty to do anything to stop him. In fact, she began to approach it herself. When she was about three meters away, she knelt down on the ground. Souta was also about three meters away from the dog. 

"Hi, boy," she said softly, holding out her hand. The dog let out a small whimper, and approached Kagome slowly, head down.

'Kagome, you're alright.' Inu Yasha sighed. He approached her slowly, so as not to frighten her. He felt her hand graze the top of his head, and scratch behind his ears. He leaned his head into her hand, almost needily. 

"What's your name?" she asked. 

'Inu Yasha,' he purred between scratches. 'Please, call me Inu Yasha.' It then occurred to him that Kagome had to say the exact words, "I love you, Inu Yasha," in order for the spell to be broken. 'Crap!' He began to panic inwardly, knowing that the least bit of viciousness in this case would cost him everything. 'How can I tell you, how can I tell you??? Ah!' He looked up at her with his golden amber eyes, as if trying to tell her something.

"Wha-?" Kagome was taken aback. It seemed like this dog was _actually_ trying to tell her his name! "Hm. You know, I have the perfect name for you!" She exclaimed.

'Please don't be a stupid name…pleeeaaase don't be a stupid name,' 

"Inu Yasha." Kagome giggled, as she watched the dog's reaction. His eyebrows raised, and he took a few steps backward, to be far enough from her not to scare her with what he did next.

'YES!!!' He ran around in a few circles, jumping and yipping in order to tell her that she was right. 

"Well, then, 'Inu Yasha' it is." Inu Yasha approached her again, more happily. She laughed. "You know why I'm naming you Inu Yasha?" The dog let out a gentle woof, as if to signal her to go on. "I remember an Inu Yasha from my dreams." Inu Yasha looked into her chocolate brown eyes, and watched as they sparkled with remembrance. "He had the most beautiful amber eyes I've ever seen, just like yours," she smiled, and stroked his fur. "And he had beautiful silver hair, and,"

*tweak, tweak*

"Such cute ears!!" she giggled helplessly as she gently massaged Inu Yasha's ears. If she looked at him a little more closely, she would have seen his eyes well up with tears.

~~FLASHBACK~~  
*tweak, tweak* 

*giggle* 

*cough* *HACK*

"Thanks. I know you hate it."  
~~end FLASHBACK~~

'Kagome. If only you remembered.' He was quickly knocked out of his somber reverie by a hand slapping him on the head. 

"He's sooo cool!!" Souta roughly petted Inu Yasha.

'Ugh! Get off of me, kid!' Inu Yasha growled under his breath, and stepped away from the menace. Souta didn't take the hint, and followed Inu Yasha, putting a hand on his soft, silvery back.

"Do you think we can keep him?" he asked hopefully.

"Don't get your hopes up, Souta. Besides, what about Buyo? Mom and Grandpa would never let us have a dog."

"I'm still asking."

"Do whatever you want," she sighed. "Goodbye, Inu Yasha," she said softly to the white canine, and slipped inside.

"I'm gonna try, okay, boy?" Rather than being excited, the pup simply turned away from the young boy. 

'Oh, brother,' Inu Yasha rolled his eyes, and walked away toward the well-house. It was time to go home. A little disappointed from his retreat, but not discouraged, Souta entered the house behind Kagome.

*****

"So, how did it go, boy?" Miroku asked Inu Yasha at dinner. His question was returned with a glare that could kill armies.

"Shut. Up." He swallowed down the rest of the stew Kaede had boiled up, and stood just as laughter was beginning to take over the room. "I'm glad you guys think this is so funny…" The laughter subsided.

"Look, Inu Yasha, Kagome is safe, and alive, and happy. We want you to be happy too, and we miss Kagome, but… she's alive, and that's all that matters." Sango said genuinely. Inu Yasha looked her straight in the eye to see if she was going to laugh or not. But she was serious. He nodded at her in thanks for her heartfelt words, and left the hut. He was going to think of a plan. 

***

Not a day passed since then that Inu Yasha was not in his canine form and by Kagome's side. He waited for her after school, and he sat outside her doorstep, keeping watch over her. Day by day, Kagome looked forward more and more to seeing her newfound friend. Of course, Inu Yasha steered clear of Souta. Kagome's mom even noticed the beautiful silver dog and its attachment to Kagome. One day at dinner, she decided to address her daughter about the "wild" visitor. Inu Yasha sat outside the house by the window, listening to every word that was spoken during dinner. He was grateful for retaining his demon powers, even though he _was_ in canine form.

"Kagome, about that dog that's been following you around…"

"I know, it's weird, isn't it, mom? He just showed up out of nowhere." Her mother nodded in agreement, and continued.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that dog really loves you." Inu Yasha's ears perked up to hear Kagome's response.

"Yeah, it's almost like he feels like he needs to always be around me, to protect me or something."

"Is he… tame? He seems like a wild one to me," her mother commented, still concerned.

"He seems pretty tame to me," she replied. "I like him. He… makes me feel safer." Kagome blushed, feeling stupid. _'What's wrong with me?'_ she asked herself. 

"Like a guard-dog, huh, Kagome?" Souta asked his big sister.

"Yeah," she answered. She stared down at her plate. She had been having dreams. Dreams of Feudal Japan. But how did she even know what Feudal Japan looked like? That was one heck of an imagination she had. The characters always remained the same… Sango, who was supposed to be her best friend, Miroku the lecherous monk, Shippou the fox orphan, Kaede the healer and mentor, and… Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha, the hero. The one who was always there to protect her. '_Inu Yasha. If only you were real. I know my feelings are.'_

After dinner, Kagome retreated to her room to think some more. School was hectic, as it always was, and then there was Hojou. He really liked her, and they were going to the dance in a week. But this "Inu Yasha" of her dreams… and this dog… the dog reminded her every day of the Inu Yasha of her dreams. She knew she loved Inu Yasha, but if he wasn't real, maybe.. She let out a sigh. 

"Maybe I should just…_move on_." Just then, she heard a bark outside her window.

'Move on!? Move _ON_?? Kagome!' Inu Yasha barked at her window, not knowing what else he could do. Kagome appeared at her window, and opened it, leaning outside. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, her hair swirling around her face gently in the evening wind. A small smile appeared on her flawless face.

"Inu Yasha? What are you doing here?" Kagome whispered loudly. She sounded as though she was in a fairy tale, about to be whisked away by her prince. In fact, she was still in such a daze, she actually _was_ half- pretending that it was the Inu Yasha of her dreams. A little weird, but hey. She looked away from the dog on the ground, and up at the moon in the sky. Inu Yasha followed her gaze to the moon. It was almost the "New Moon," as Kagome liked to call it. Just a week longer. 

A week longer?? Inu Yasha remembered hearing about the school dance, and that _his_ Kagome was going with that Hobo character. He tried to scare him off a couple times, growling when he got near, but Kagome just hushed him up. 'What can I do?' he asked himself as he let his eyes fall back to the beautiful figure leaning on the window sill. She sighed.

"I'm going to bed now, Inu Yasha. Goodnight. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow." She waved at him, and retreated into her bedroom. Inu Yasha was tempted to jump into her room from where he was, but he thought better of it, and instead returned back to the well-house, and Feudal Japan. Once back, he sat on his favorite branch of the Goshinboku tree to think. 

~~FLASHBACK~~  
"Your canine blood is what will trigger this disguise. When you set foot on the ground outside of the well, you will be transformed into what will appear as a canine to Kagome and the rest of the world of her time."  
~~end FLASHBACK~~

_'My canine blood, huh? Well, what'll happen when the moon is dark? My canine blood will leave me.. Does that mean I will be able to actually talk to her? I will hope. That's all I have left.'_ He sat back against the trunk of the tree, thinking more about Kagome, and how he could make her fall in love with him. He fell asleep that way, and woke up the next morning with the rest of the forest Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he sat up rigidly in his place. 

"THE DANCE!" and with that, Inu Yasha quickly jumped off of the tree and headed into the village. 

***

"I-- I need something to wear for Kagome's school dance." 

"How about…. One of these!" Miroku said goofily, holding up Kirara and pointing at the pretty pink rhinestone-studded collar that Kagome got her for Christmas last year. Before he could even voice his laughter, he was lying on the ground due to an insanely hard blow to the head. Inu Yasha turned to Sango. 

"Please, I need some help here." Sango nodded, trying not to laugh at Miroku's unconscious body. _"You'd think he'd learn by now,"_ she said to herself.

"Hmm… what is the 'theme' of the dance?" Kagome had talked to Sango about school dances before, and remembered Kagome talk about dressing up in costumes or certain colors. Inu Yasha shrugged.

"I dunno," 

"Well, you have to go find out, before it's too late! Then we'll find something for you to wear." Inu Yasha nodded, and ran for the well. Sango looked at Kaede. 

"Do you think he's right about the spell deactivating when the moon is dark? That he'll really be able to be human on the other side?"

"Perhaps, child. We will find out soon enough. I pray for Inu Yasha that he is right." Sango and Miroku nodded.

"Yes. I can understand his desperation. He is able to watch his true love, but not speak to her. I know that if that were my case, I would try everything in my power to find a way to reach her." He unconsciously glanced Sango's way. She saw this out of the corner of her eye and turned her back to him, blushing.

"I hope he succeeds," she said, voicing everyone's hopes. 

====================================================

[Author's Note] Eh? What do you think? Comments? Suggestions? All is welcome!


	5. Themes and Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. This is just me having my pathetic fun.

[Author's Note] Ai! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I just started my final quarter in school, so things have been pretty hectic.

**kyanos**-about Kagome not being able to travel through times-- She isn't able to any more, period. At least, not by herself, since the Shikon no Tama was purified. However, some youkai (including Inu Yasha, and hmm, remember Yura?)can still pass through. So in order for Kagome to travel between times, she needs an escort: namely, Inu Yasha. Hope this clears things up!  
**mvdiva**- True, true, one little lick, and it's all over. But maybe there are some rules for when she says the magic words....Hmmm....hehe!  
**NightRain**- thanks for the feedback! 

  
I hope you all enjoy this chapter!!  


Chapter 5: Themes and Dreams

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'Dance theme, dance theme,' Inu Yasha said to himself as he roamed around the school, looking for posters and fliers. 'Ah, jackpot!' He found several posters and hand drawn pictures concerning the upcoming school dance at the front entrance of the school. 'Hmm,' he said, scrolling down the characters. 'Here it is. All eras of Japan… History Dance? Well, whatever works. Guess that means I'm in luck." Just then, the school bell rang, and all the students began rushing out of the building. He scanned the crowd using his keen eyesight and sense of smell to find his girl. He quickly ran to where he smelled her scent. 

"Ah, Inu Yasha, good to see you," she said smiling, when she saw him. "Let's go home. I have a lot of studying to do." Inu Yasha nodded, and began to escort her home when a young man stepped in her path. 

"Kagome, there you are." Inu Yasha let out an audible growl. He did NOT like this guy. Or his smell. Or his smile. OR his name.

"Oh, hi Hojou." 

"We're still on for the dance next week, right?" 

"Uh, yeah. Eight o'clock."

"I'll be there. By the way, what era are you going to be modeling?"

"I'm thinking Sengoku Jidai. For some reason, I feel really drawn to that period." Inu Yasha smiled (as much as a dog can smile), and looked up happily at Kagome, who smiled down at him and gave his ears a gentle tweak.

"Alright, then, me too." Kagome nodded.

"Riiight. Well, I've got to go. I have a lot of studying that needs to get done. Later!" And she was off, with Inu Yasha by her side, before Hojou could even say..

"Go-" Hojou watched Kagome take off. "-odbye, Kagome." 

***

'Way to go, Kagome!' Inu Yasha mentally cheered at her as they began their trek through the park. 

"Ugh. That boy. Sometimes…" Kagome sat down on a bench. They needed to walk through the park on the way home from school, but this time Kagome seemed to want to talk rather than study. So she found a bench underneath a shady tree, and leaned forward on her knees to be almost face to face with Inu Yasha, who sat on the ground before her. "Sometimes, he just… he's so dense, Inu Yasha!" She laughed when she saw him cock his head to one side as if in disbelief.

"You know," she continued, "I've been thinking about Inu Yasha as well." Inu Yasha put a silvery paw on her knee to show her he was anxiously listening. "More and more, I've been having dreams about him… it's almost as if they weren't dreams at all!" She looked down into his golden amber eyes. "I really think I loved him. But how can that be, if he was only a dream? It doesn't make any sense." Inu Yasha whimpered as she rose from her seat, ready to resume the walk home.

"I'm so glad I have you around, though. You make me feel protected. It's .. you're… just like the Inu Yasha of my dreams." Inu Yasha looked up with loving doggy eyes at Kagome. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just being stupid. Maybe I just need to move on, and into the real world." Inu Yasha whimpered.

'Oh, Kagome. If only you knew.'

"Truth be told," she said, as they walked up the stairs to the shrine, "I really don't _want_ to go to the dance with Hojou. I know it's mean, but you know, I kind of wish that someone else will take me."

'Like Inu Yasha?' Inu Yasha barked. Kagome looked at him, wondering if she really heard what she thought she heard. The syllables and intonation of the bark made it sound like he actually said "Inu Yasha." She shrugged, and replied.

"Yeah. Exactly. Inu Yasha." Inu Yasha felt his heart leap. He'd have no problem brushing by Hojou on dance night. Now, he had to get back and tell Sango what he needed for the dance next Friday. As soon as they arrived at her door, Kagome bid Inu Yasha a farewell, and turned to enter the house. She opened the door and looked back, to give him one last smile before she entered, but he was gone. "Hm, that's strange. He usually waits around." Kagome shrugged, "Well, I guess he had things to do today," and with that, she entered the house.

*****

Things progressed normally for the next week, and finally, it was Friday. Sango and Miroku went shopping with Inu Yasha to find the perfect outfits for himself and Kagome. And here was the plan. Just before sundown, Inu Yasha would head through the well with the clothes. Once on Kagome's side, he would get dressed, and wait until he transformed into a full human. Then he would exit the well-house, carrying Kagome's kimono, and ring her doorbell, asking her to go to the dance with him, and giving her the kimono as a gift. 

"Remember, don't tell her she died. That will just make her think you're loony," Miroku told him. "Only tell her what she needs to know."

"Right." Sango added, "Only tell her what to say to Inu Yasha the um, yeah." Sango and Miroku had gotten a lot nicer to Inu Yasha, and more understanding to his situation once the novelty of imagining Inu Yasha as a full-on dog wore off.

After a nice bath in the hot spring, and using Kagome's battery powered wind-blower to dry his hair, Inu Yasha was ready to go. It was just about time. The whole gang accompanied him to the well.

"Good luck, Inu Yasha," Miroku slapped Inu Yasha on the back. "I hope this works." Inu Yasha nodded solemnly, praying that it would.

"Yeah. I know she'll like the kimono, either way. And just think, maybe it will jog her memory- err, dream memory even more!" Sango offered.

"Make her remember, so she can come back with you," Shippou pleaded.

"I will say a prayer for ye," Kaede told him quietly. Looking around at all of them, he heaved a sigh, and in the blink of an eye, he was down the well.

******

"Please work, please work, please work," Inu Yasha said softly to himself from the bottom of the well. He had made it to Kagome's time with a few minutes to spare before he transformed into a full human. He had to travel through the well as a half demon, because he wasn't strong enough to do it with only weak human blood running through his veins. But now, he had to wait until after sunset, or he would be transformed once more into a dog. He quickly changed into his outfit, and prepared himself to climb to the top of the well. Within minutes, his hair was black, his claws retracted, and his ears moved to the sides of his head. 

"I'm ready." Heaving a sigh, he began the climb up the well. He reached the top, and sat on the lip of the well. "This is it." Adrenaline rushed through his body as if he was up to fight Naraku once again. He cringed, and pushed himself off of the lip, landing both feet on the floor of the well-house. He waited. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and looked down at his hands. Hands! HANDS! "YES!!!" He cried, feeling like he was home free from here on out. "Now, its time to get to business." And not wasting any more time, Inu Yasha emerged from the well-house in his human form, and headed toward Kagome's front door.

===================================================

[Author's Note] I forget who it was that wrote this, but it was someone on ff.net. And they said something like, "Why does Kaede talk like a pirate? Just because she has an eye patch doesn't make her a pirate!!" I got such a kick out of that, so whenever I think about Kaede in my stories, I can't help but laugh. Anyway, please review! 

  


yeah, I know, its short. But just to make up for it, maybe I'll get the next chapter out sooner. eh? hm. yeah, it doesn't really make up for it, does it? *sigh* 


	6. The Dance

Disclaimer: Yes, this is a Disclaimer.

[Author's Note] *sigh* well, here is the chapter! I hope that it meets with your standards... hmm...  
**Lunatic Pandora**- Cinderella? You mean the whole new dress thing? (sorry if I sound a little dense...)Or maybe, Sleeping Beauty, with the whole "once upon a dream" thing?   
**Nandelin**- I hope this meets with your expectations!  
**Cat Silver**- Hmm, Sesshomaru, huh? That _would_ be interesting, wouldn't it? Regrettably, I don't think I can fit that into the story just now.. bummer.  
**mvdiva**- my faithful reviewer! I hope you like this chapter!  
Please Enjoy! 

***********************************************************

*DING DONG* Inu Yasha rang the doorbell nervously. It was almost like he was preparing himself for Kagome seeing him for the first time. Would she recognize him? In his human form? What if Hojou was already there? What if… His thoughts were stopped when the door to the Higurashi residence opened to reveal Mrs. Higurashi herself. 

"Ah, Hoj-" She got a better look at the visitor. "Who are you?" 

"Hob-" he stopped himself, "-Jou is feeling a little under the weather, and asked that I come make sure that Kagome is taken care of." 

"Oh-" Kagome's mother processed the information. "Well, in that case, come in, please," 

"Thank you." He stepped inside. "Please, may I see Kagome?" Her mother nodded.

"Just a minute." She turned and walked to the foot of the steps. "Kagome! Someone is here to see you!" she called in a sing-song voice. 

"I'm not ready yet! Tell him to wait a minute!" 

"If it's not too much trouble, Mrs. Higurashi, could you please give her this? It's my gift to her. I think she'll look really lovely in it…" Inu Yasha was making himself sick with all these manners. But hey, he'd better not screw this up _now_. Besides, after living as *gulp* a dog for awhile, he had been finding it easier and easier to express his feelings.

"Oh!" Kagome's mother approached Inu Yasha, and took the kimono from his arms. "This is exquisite. Kagome will absolutely love it! She was worried about finding the right kind of kimono, you know. I'll take this to her right away." Before he could mutter a 'thank you,' She ran up the steps. "Make yourself at home!" she called back to him. He sighed, and looked around. Things were exactly as he remembered them from the last time he was at the house. He was just about to sit down on the couch, when Souta entered from the kitchen.

"W-who are you?" he asked. "You're not Hojou…" Just then, the doorbell rang. Inu Yasha figured that was probably him. Souta moved to answer the door.

"Don't worry kid, I've got it. Besides, people your age shouldn't be answering the door at this time of night." He wasn't really sure what that meant, since kids in his time always welcomed calling guests. But he remembered hearing Kagome say it once or twice to her little brother, so he figured it was the best way for cleanly disposing of Hobo. He walked to the door, turned the knob, and opened it.

"Hi, is Kag- huh?" Hojou was totally taken aback at seeing some other guy in Kagome's house. 

"Oh, hi," Inu Yasha played it off, thinking of something quick and easy. "Kagome said to tell you she's sorry, but she's going with me to the dance." Hojou looked so rejected. "So, Sorry," he said bitterly to the boy.

"Um, okay. Are you like, her-- cousin, or something?"

"Yeah, something. I'm just visiting." The poor boy's face lit up. 

"Okay, well, then, I guess I'll see you both at the dance!" 

"Yeah. Sure." 

"By-" Inu Yasha slammed the door, rather rudely, in poor Hojou's face. He smiled to himself for cleanly disposing of the matter without landing any punches, and thought of how proud Kagome would be of him for holding back. He turned around, still smiling, to see a stunned Souta staring at him, mouth open.

"Y-you just… that was…"

"Yeah? What of it?" Inu Yasha was relieved he could act his normal way around Souta.

"that was… sO COOL! I hate that guy! He's so annoying, always coming around, bothering sis like that. What's your name?" 

"Inu Yasha." Souta ran up to him and grabbed his hand, shaking it, and bowing at the same time. Inu Yasha was so taken up with Souta's reaction to his disposing of Hojou that he failed to notice when Kagome entered the room. 

"D-did you say 'Inu Yasha'?" she asked. Inu Yasha dropped Souta's hand, and turned, awestruck, at Kagome, who was now standing before him. He had never seen her so beautiful. He could only stare at her, his eyes taking in every feature of her perfect form. Although the kimono was nothing extravagant, it was nice, and it suited her well. She stood there, just as awestruck as he was, in a beautiful blue and white kimono, the sleeves of which fell nearly to the floor. Her golden obi was tied in a flower knot, and her hair was pinned up above her head in the traditional style. "I- did you say 'Inu Yasha'?" she repeated, taking a dainty step forward.

"I'm Inu Yasha, yes. And I have come to take you to the dance in HoJou's stead," he said, bowing to her. She returned the bow, and stepped closer, getting a better look at the visitor. 

"It.. it really_ is_ you, isn't it?" Inu Yasha shook his head. 

"Can we go now?"

"uh-huh." 

"Now wait just a minute!" Kagome's mom said sternly from behind them. They turned simultaneously to face her, to see what the problem was. "SMILE!" *FLASH*

"MOM!!" Inu Yasha remembered this "cam-ra" from when Kagome brought one back. Rotten little thing, almost made him blind. But his eyes lost their hypersensitivity when became human, so he didn't mind too much this time.

"Have fun, dears! And Inu Yasha, bring her back by 12, okay?"

"Sure," he managed to say before Kagome dragged him completely out of the house.

*****

"Inu Yasha? Are you the Inu Yasha of my dreams?"

"Er.. Yeah. Look, Kagome, there's a lot of stuff I have to tell you before the night is over." 

"Okay. But why is your hair… black?"

"Because it's a moonless night." 

"o-oh," she responded. "I remember," she said, recalling several of her 'dream episodes.' They walked toward the school. 

"Okay. Listen, Kagome. I have to tell you before something happens and I can't. Your dreams- they aren't really dreams. They're memories. I've come from the Sengoku Jidai to watch over you."

"What happened, if they're actually reality? Why do I think that it's all a dream?" She felt like she was beginning to lose her ability to distinguish dream from reality.

"It's.. complicated. But it'll all make sense if you just do one thing."

"What is it?" Kagome's head seemed like it was spinning. 

"When you see me- err, the um, dog?" Kagome nodded blankly. "You need to say 'I love you, Inu Yasha,' and the spell will be broken."

"Uh huh," she said blankly, caught up in her own thoughts. 

"Are you getting this? Kagome!" He looked at Kagome's eyes. She was in a daze. He was beginning to get angry. This was so important, and she was zoning out on him! He threw his manners out the window. "Listen, wench…" Her eyes snapped alive again, and her head snapped to alertness.

"Wench, huh?! OSUWARI!"

*CRASH*

"oh.." Kagome looked down at her feet where Inu Yasha lay. "I'm- I'm so sorry. So it really _is_ real." She bent down and patted his back. "I'm sorry, it just came out. Are you alright?" 

"Yeah. Maybe now you'll know I'm real." He sat up when the spell wore off. "I forgot about these," he said, as he fingered the rosary around his neck. "I guess I don't have them when I'm in dog form." 

"Dog form?"

"Yes. It's some kind of a spell. I won't tell you about it now, though. Just do what I told you, and then you will understand everything."

"So, you really _are_ Inu Yasha the dog?" 

"Yes," he sighed, practically hearing Sango and Miroku's laughter ringing in his ears. 

"Now, all I have to say is.. what?" 

"I love you, Inu Yasha," he told her

"Would it work if I said it now?" 

"I'm not sure. I don't think so, though, since the spell doesn't seem to work during the new moon, anyway. May as well try it, though." Kagome blushed. 

"I um, have to mean it when I say it, right?"

"Probably," Inu Yasha answered nervously. Her asking that question was NOT a good sign.

"Well, then, I love you, Inu Yasha." 

Nothing. Inu Yasha shrugged.

"I guess you'll have to do it tomorrow, if I come to your doorstep as a white dog."

"Mmhm. But now that I know what I need to do, let's spend some time together." Kagome reached for Inu Yasha's hand and intertwined her fingers with his. The two continued hand in hand toward the school gym. Inu Yasha relished every moment he spent by her side. He took in a deep breath. 

"I've missed you." 

Kagome smiled. She didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure if she missed Inu Yasha back. In fact, she had been thinking he was a dream for the past month. And how could she miss a dream? In fact, how could she love someone she wasn't completely without a doubt sure was real? What if this whole sequence of events was all just in her head? They reached the school and entered the gym, ready to have some fun.

*****

As soon as they were inside, they were practically ambushed by Kagome's friends. 

"Hey, Kagome, who's your friend?" Yuka asked. 

"Yeah, he's cute," Erri commented.

"The man of my dreams," Kagome stated truthfully, and glanced up at Inu Yasha.

"That's so romantic," Erri remarked as she watched Kagome and Inu Yasha gaze deeply into each other's eyes.

"I thought you were coming with Hojou," Ayumi said.

"She _was_." Inu Yasha told her flatly. The three girls all looked at each other in confusion, curious as to what could have happened to make Hojou not come with Kagome.

"Anyway, your outfits are so kawaii! They look really authentic, too!" Yuka exclaimed.

"I think so, too," Kagome agreed somewhat absently.

"Hey, Kagome," came Hojou's voice from behind. He was carrying two cups full of punch. "I thought you might be a little thirsty," he said, handing her a cup.

"Uh, thanks, Hojou." She noticed he and Inu Yasha giving each other less than friendly stares. "Um, this is Inu Yasha," she said, gesturing at her date.

"Right. Your--cousin." Hojou said through clenched teeth. You could tell he knew that wasn't really true. He must have thought about his meeting with Inu Yasha during his solo walk to the school to have finally come to this revelation.

"My…?" 

"Right," Inu Yasha said before Kagome could eke out another word. He looked at Kagome, who quickly downed the glass of punch as though it was a shot of sake. 

What she didn't know, was that it really _was_ part sake. Someone had heavily spiked the punch. Of course, this punch was pretty strong anyway, so not many people could taste the liquor. Four glasses later, Kagome could hardly stand up straight. Inu Yasha decided to take her outside for some fresh air before returning her home.

"So, Inu Yasha," she said, her speech slurred. "You're _sure_ you're really real?" She began to chuckle at her question. Inu Yasha rolled his eyes. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he had hoped. 

'_Kagome may very well wake up tomorrow, and think this is all a dream.. And what then?'_ Inu Yasha thought desperately to himself.

After she had sobered up as much as possible before midnight, Inu Yasha escorted Kagome home. Her family was asleep, but Inu Yasha knew his way around the house. He carried Kagome up the stairs and into her room. She was near unconsciousness, so Inu Yasha carefully removed her obi, undid her hair, and took off her shoes before laying her down gently in her bed. She fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow.

"Kagome, even if you never realize the truth, I'll be right here, watching over you," he said in a whisper. Leaning down, he gently kissed her forehead, and went outside where he sat underneath her window, waiting for dawn to arrive so that he could return to the Sengoku Jidai.

*****

"So, how did it go, Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked as soon as Inu Yasha hopped out of the well. Apparently, he had been waiting to see how the night panned out.

"Well." Far be it from Inu Yasha to reveal that he actually thought his chances were slim to none.

"I see," Miroku said, knowing exactly what Inu Yasha's curt reply implied.

"Well, I can't be sittin' around here, I've got better things to do," he said in an annoyed tone of voice, and jumped off into the forest.

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[Author's Note] How did you like it? There may be a few things that I might not have made very clear, so if you have any questions, I will try to address them in my next posting. Please Review!! All feedback is good feedback!


	7. Too Late

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter one.

[Author's Note] Now, I'm not quite sure how school weeks work in Japan.. Is it something like, Monday through Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday? Well, in the anime, Kagome's dates translate on Saturdays, so I decided just to make it like the American school weeks (Monday-Friday).

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mvdiva- about the "I love you" thing… In Kagome's case, it's a little weird, because she feels a bit strange, being in love with someone who, to her, doesn't really exist in the real world. So for her to mean it when she says it, she really needs to surpass her doubts and fears concerning her love for him. If that makes any sense…

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silverstarlight- Ah, good point. You've inspired me to write some extra paragraphs to rid myself of this little problem. Thanks!

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Rhapsody- yay! glad you like it!

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Amyusagi- hmmm.. Poor Hojou.. I feel kinda bad for the guy. He always seemed nice, to me. Dense, yes, but nice. But I like Inu Yasha better. 

Chapter 7: too late

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Kagome awoke in her bed on Saturday mid-morning, and found herself dressed in a fine silk period kimono from the Sengoku Jidai. 

"H..huh?" Her head throbbed from all the alcohol she had drunk the night before.

*knock, knock* Kagome's mother tapped the door lightly. "Itai," Kagome exclaimed softly to herself. She fell back onto her pillow, and replied softly to the knocking on her door. "Come in." She rubbed her temples, hoping the pain would go away.

"Good morning, Kagome," her mother greeted her as she walked in. 

" 'Morning." She purposely left out the "good" part. 

"Oh, dear, you look terrible!" Kagome's mother put a hand on her forehead. "It seems like all the excitement last night really took a toll on you. Why don't you just stay in bed and rest today?" Kagome nodded weakly. "Let me help you into some pajamas. Upsy-daisy!" Her mother felt nearly the full weight of Kagome as she helped her remove her kimono and put on a pair of light cotton pajamas. "All done," she said cheerfully as she tucked Kagome back into bed. She pulled the chair from Kagome's desk up to the bed, and sat down beside her daughter. "So, Kagome, who was the boy who took you to the dance yesterday?" 

"Boy? Hojou?" All Kagome could remember about the dance was that she was supposed to go with Hojou. 

"No, it was another boy. He was really quite cute. He said his name was Inu Yasha." 

"Inu-- Yasha?" Kagome felt herself drifting back off to sleep. She was too tired to talk with her mother. "Inu Yasha…" she whispered before slipping into unconsciousness. Her mother smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead and stood up. 

"I should take this to the cleaners," she said softly to herself as she whisked up Kagome's new kimono and obi, and quietly exited Kagome's room.

For the remainder of the weekend, until Sunday evening, Kagome slipped in and out of consciousness, recovering from the party. She didn't have much time to really think or try to recall what happened at the dance. She also didn't chance to look outside her bedroom window; if she had, she would have spotted Inu Yasha waiting patiently below.

***

Monday morning, Kagome prepared for school as usual. There was no sign of the kimono she now only vaguely remembered. _'Must have been a dream'_ she shrugged. "Oh well," 

she said aloud, and continued her morning pre-school hygiene rituals.

*****

"So, Kagome, who was that cute boy that you brought to the dance? Was he really a cousin?" Yuka asked just outside of the school.

"Uh, what?"

"Oh dear," Erri whispered to Ayumi, "she must have drank too much punch. I heard it was spiked." 

"Yeah," Ayumi shook her head. "What a shame. I would hate to forget sharing a night with someone like _that_ boy…" The two turned to watch as Kagome struggled unsuccessfully to remember the night before. 

"I think I remember waking up in the morning, dressed in a gorgeous blue and white kimono. But I didn't see it _anywhere_ today. I think my mom asked me the same thing about the boy Saturday morning. But I really don't remember much. It's all kind of fuzzy." Her three friends looked mildly disappointed. After a few more minutes of more or less interesting gossip, the four girls turned and headed inside the building for their first class. Kagome tried hard to remember the boy from Friday night.

***

After a while of endless attempts at remembering what happened at the dance, Kagome finally recalled a dark-haired Inu Yasha, much like the Inu Yasha of her dreams. '_I think I remember Inu Yasha taking me to the dance,' _she thought during class. _'It seemed like a dream… after all, whose dreams ever become reality like that?'_ she said to herself. Outside, a silvery white canine waited patiently and hopefully for his beloved to come to him.

*****

After school, Inu Yasha and Kagome walked side by side to her house in silence. Inu Yasha whimpered occasionally, trying to remind Kagome of what she was supposed to say to him, but to no avail. She only absentmindedly scratched him behind the ears. In fact, she seemed extremely dazed the entire walk home- Inu Yasha was worried about her, and getting annoyed that he couldn't do anything to help her in her time of need. They stood at an intersection; the final crosswalk before the last, humongous hill up to the shrine. Inu Yasha sat down on the sidewalk, waiting for the audio call to cross the street. Kagome continued to speculate about what happened the night before.

*chirp, chirp* rang the speaker from the right side of the street.

'Nope, not that one. The next one,' Inu Yasha told himself, still patiently staring at the ground, thinking of Kagome. Kagome, whose scent was dissipating… wait… dissipating?? His head snapped up, and he looked frantically around to find Kagome. She was crossing the street- the wrong way! She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she when she heard the chirp, she began crossing- even though it was the chirp to cross in the other direction!

'KAGOME!' Inu Yasha barked, and ran at her full speed. She was nowhere near being at the other side, and he could hear a car approaching quickly, the driver most likely not paying attention to things on the road. When he got within jumping distance, he propelled himself into the air with his haunches, slightly turning himself to the side, so that his body would force Kagome off the street. He slammed into the small of her back, pushing her forward with incredible force. She flew the remaining distance to the other side of the street. 

Inu Yasha, however, fell onto his side in the middle of the road after the impact with Kagome. He sensed the car was very near, and coming closer still, but as he rose on his four paws, he knew that he wouldn't be quick enough. One of those blasted machines was going to hit him.

It was a gross, indescribable sound when Inu Yasha's body collided with the grill of the speeding vehicle. Kagome cringed when she heard it, even though she was still on the ground, a little over half the length of the intersection away from the collision. She sat there, propping herself up with her skinned hands. 

"Wha-" she stopped when she saw her stray companion, Inu Yasha, lying motionless on the street. The speeding car braked immediately, and pulled over. A young, hysterical woman jumped out of the car and ran toward the dog. "INU YASHA!!!" Kagome cried, and scrambled to her feet as quickly as possible. In fact, although twice as far away from Inu Yasha as the woman who hit him, Kagome reached him first, tears in her eyes. She knelt down over his limp body. "Inu Yasha," she whispered frantically, "are you alright?" She looked up at the woman, and the crowd of witnesses who had begun to gather. "I've got to get him to a vet!" she yelled, and without thinking or listening to the protests of the witnesses, she scooped the beautiful yet heavy dog into her arms, and ran toward the nearest veterinarian clinic.

After about a minute, Inu Yasha regained consciousness. He was _very_ uncomfortable. He let out a soft growl, mixed with a whimper, pleading for Kagome to put him down. She stopped and looked into his eyes. She was crying. She walked over to a small alleyway and put him down, safe from foot traffic.

'Kagome,' he thought, 'Don't cry. I'll be alright. Just- get me to the well.' Although Inu Yasha had demon strengths and senses, he did not have his durable half demon body. He knew that if he didn't get to the well soon, he very possibly could die. 

"Inu Yasha, you… you can't leave me," she said softly, praying that he wouldn't die. He could only whimper. He was beginning to taste blood in his mouth, and he knew that trickles of blood were coming from his tear ducts. Wheezing noises from his lungs began to grow louder as the end drew near for Inu Yasha.

"I- I know it sounds really stupid, because you're a stray, but I feel like we have known each other for a long time." She remembered her dreams of the half-demon Inu Yasha. Her emotions loosed themselves. She was going to lose the symbol of her dreams- hanyou Inu Yasha and the canine Inu Yasha lying before her were connected so closely in her mind. It seemed to her like she was actually watching the Inu Yasha she loved fade slowly out of existence. She saw his eyes begin to cloud over, and her throat began to close. Tears had already run wide paths down her cheeks, although she didn't even notice. "I- I love you, Inu Yasha," she choked out. His ear twitched slightly in response to her confession before the eyes of Inu Yasha, the beautiful silver-white dog, closed forever.

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[Author's Note] Aw. Aww. Well, what do you think of my story? Please review!!


	8. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Nope, nope, and…. nope.

[Author's Note] Hehe!! Of course it's not the end! You guys totally were cracking me up with your reviews… I think I got like, as many reviews in the past day as I have over the past 6 chapters combined! Well, that was pretty cool! Thanks!!!

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Priestess Tokiko- Hmm… well, I am using the anime English, and I think they spelled it with an "i"… no one else has said anything about it being misspelled, though. 

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NightRain- hehe, you crack me up… a black dog with clothes?? hehehe!! Tell your husband I said hello!

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mvdiva- glad I've made you curious!

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AnimeKrazy- yeah, I thought the same thing when I wrote that last chapter!

Chapter 8: Epilogue

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Last time: 

"I- I love you, Inu Yasha," she choked out. His ear twitched slightly in response to her confession before the eyes of Inu Yasha, the beautiful silver-white dog, closed forever.

***

Kagome could not believe what had just happened. She sat kind of sideways, her legs bent slightly and to her left, and there lied Inu Yasha to her right. He saved her life. This dog, who she had only met but a month ago, gave his life for her. It was almost like he was only there to protect her. Words escaped Kagome's mind at this thought, and she was overcome by tremendous grief. She rested her face in her left hand, covering her eyes, and propped her head up by her elbow resting on her leg. Her other hand gently stroked Inu Yasha's soft silvery-white hair back and forth as she sobbed uncontrollably. 

It really seemed like a lot, considering she was crying over some stray dog that had been following her around for a month. But Inu Yasha was more than just a dog to her. He represented her dream, the dream of Inu Yasha the hanyou, whom she loved and who she thought loved her. Who, when she was dying, finally told her of his love for her. 

'_Wait a minute. When I was dying??? When I was DYING??? WHEN was I dying??'_ All of a sudden, Kagome's memories began to flood back. There were so many of them, and they were so real. Suddenly, without a doubt, Kagome knew that Inu Yasha really wasn't a dream. He was actually real. Her sobs died down slowly as she contemplated her experience with Inu Yasha the dog. He _must_ have been Inu Yasha. But why was he a dog? Her hand continued to brush backward and forward with and against the grain of Inu Yasha's fur. She came across a longer tuft, and twirled it around her finger, thinking of what all of this could possibly mean. '_But if Inu Yasha the dog is dead, that means that the real Inu Yasha is also…'_ she couldn't bear to continue her thought, and removed her face from her hand. She looked down at where the dog lay.

Only it was no longer a dog. Inu Yasha the hanyou laid in its stead, on his stomach, unconscious. Kagome untwisted her finger from one of his silvery locks of hair. 

"Inu Yasha," she whispered, hopeful that he would come to. After all, as a dog, he was dead. But this was a hanyou; his body was much more durable than a mere canine. Maybe by some stroke of luck, his healing powers would help him recover. "Inu Yasha?" she asked again, timidly. She reached her tearstained left hand across her body, and over to one of his soft, fuzzy ears. She was juuuust about to touch it…. when it moved. She let out an involuntary gasp and withdrew her hand. He was coming to.

His eyes began to flutter, until they groggily opened completely. Remaining on his stomach, he propped himself up on his elbows, and turned to his right to see Kagome looking at him. 

"What happened?" he asked.

"You were hit by a car," she told him, sniffling.

"That's right, I remember now, " he said, looking back to the ground, remembering the sequence of events that occurred. His eyes snapped back up to her face after a fraction of a second. "Wait. You _understand_ me?"

"Yes, I understand you. Why wouldn't I?" she asked, not understanding Inu Yasha's disorientation due to the transformation from canine to hanyou in her time period. He looked down at his hands. 

"My.. hands.. Kagome… you did it?" 

"Did- what?" His eyes sparkled, and he quickly sat up completely and drew her into a hug. She hugged him back for a few moments, until she noticed something was missing.

"Um, Inu Yasha?"

"Hm," he grunted, not really wanting to separate himself from her.

"What happened to your clothes?"

***

After a short, embarrassing interlude, Inu Yasha threw Kagome on his back and flew like death was at his heels up that final hill toward the well-house, where his clothes were waiting for him. He quickly dressed, and came out to face her. Normally, they would both be _very_ embarrassed at what happened, but considering the gravity of the situation that they had just been in, they were willing to just let it go.

"So wait a minute, Inu Yasha." Kagome and Inu Yasha had just sat down to a nice cup of hot tea, and decided to hash over the incidents that had just occurred. "What happened after you told me… you loved me…" she blushed deeply and continued, "…and I died?" 

"I gathered the rest of the shards, and wished you back to life."

"How did you find out how to wish on the jewel? I didn't think any of us knew how that could actually be done," she speculated.

"I visited Midoriko's cave while you were away taking your 'test' things. There were some old scrolls and parchments that spoke of myths and ways of wishing that could possibly purify the jewel." He sensed Kagome's confusion, and tried to alleviate it as much as he could. "Of course, they were written after the formation of the Shikon no Tama, since Midoriko couldn't have possibly foreseen her lasting battle within the jewel."

"Right," Kagome nodded her head. 

"But Midoriko would only resurrect you on the condition that you would forget all about us, and that the only way you would ever remember is if you'd say the words- some words. And you did."

"What were the words? I said a lot of things." Inu Yasha coughed and blushed profusely. He cleared his throat, only prolonging the inevitable.

"Iloveyou Inu Yasha." Kagome giggled at his awkwardness. But somehow, it didn't seem that awkward to her anymore. And she remembered his heartfelt words on her own deathbed. She decided to take a step of faith. Putting down her teacup, she reached across the table, placing her right hand on his left.

"I do love you, Inu Yasha." He blushed, and looked away. 

"I was… worried about you," he said, still not looking at her. Kagome sighed, and pulled her hand away. It was a nice response, but not quite the one she was looking for.

"Well, you know, I think I've been away from the Warring States Era for long enough. What's say we go back now?" Inu Yasha's blush disappeared. He nodded, and stood up. He watched Kagome pack her things, and they headed to the well house. 

***

There they stood, ready to return to the Sengoku Jidai. 

"Here goes!" Kagome said, and made a move to jump inside the well.

"Hold on a second." Inu Yasha grabbed her arm to keep her from jumping. She turned and looked up at him, a little confused. Usually, he was the one ready to go, and she was the one wanting to stay behind a bit longer. He pulled her arm to his chest, drawing her into him. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the feeling of holding her close. His mouth was near her ear, and he began to whisper. "When you died, Kagome, there was such a sadness… in my heart."

'_Is he going to do it?'_ she thought hopefully.

"I failed you. Not just in protecting you, but more than that. I never showed you how much you meant to me. The Shikon Jewel gave me a second chance, and I don't want to make that failure again." He drew his hands from around her waist to her shoulders, and pulled her back so that he could look into her velvety brown eyes. "Kagome, I love you." He would have said more, but it wasn't his style. Maybe he would tell her more about how much she means to him when he'd ask her to live with him in the Sengoku Jidai. After all, now that the Jewel was no longer in existence, things would be a lot safer.

All these things ran through Inu Yasha's mind as he completed his last sentence. He would have thought more, but the look in Kagome's eyes quickly sent his thoughts fleeting away. A smile spread slowly across her face as she moved her hands from Inu Yasha's waist up his chest to around his neck. His heart beating faster, he pulled her toward him, and tilted his head down toward hers. Her smile slowly faded as she realized that he was about to pull her into a kiss, and she began to close her eyes. Inu Yasha followed suit and closed his eyes as well, focusing all his senses on the touch of Kagome's lips and the sensations that they delivered against his own. Softness, warmth, love, and passion; everything that a kiss should be, and everything that they felt in each other's arms.

They withdrew from each other, and Inu Yasha ran the back of his fingers along Kagome's face and jaw line with his right hand. She leaned into his touch. It was everything that she had imagined it would be. 

"Are you ready?" he asked her softly.

"NnHn," she nodded. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Inu Yasha and Kagome leapt through the well, ready to make the most of their second chance together.

The end.

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[Author's Note] yes, this time it really is the end. Just thought I'd give you all a scare with that last chapter.. 

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La Belle Dame Sans Merci- you and whyndancer really saw through to my ending!

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whyndancer- you hit it right on the nose! Yay!


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